Decider

It was a decider match in the last league game of the season as Bradford's Eccleshill United hosted Leeds' Yorkshire Amateur in the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) First Division. If either team won they would secure second place behind champions Knaresborough Town and earn automatic promotion to the Premier Division. A draw could see Grimsby Borough pip both teams.

There were sun dogs in the sky as the game got underway and the toss proved to be a factor as Eccleshill were left defending into a low, bright setting sun. Local press photographer Thomas Gadd took an excellent drone photo early in the match which captures the scene and situation. An fine crowd for this level, 376, had gathered. 

Ammers started brightly, sharper in the tackle and pressing well. They took a deserved lead through a fine shot following a corner in the 24th minute.  Two counter attacking goals followed soon after with Eccleshill being left to rue missed tackles and headers: 0-3 after 33 minutes. A converted penalty just before half-time saw Eccleshill get back into it and with their opponents down to ten men early in the second half it seemed for a while that the come-back might be on. But it was Yorkshire Amateur that scored next: 1-4. Both teams hit the woodwork a few times but another late penalty was all that Eccleshill could muster, 2-4 it finished and it was the Ammers players and fans that were deservedly celebrating promotion.

Eccleshill will now have to do it the hard way as they go into the lottery of the play-offs, starting with hosting Shirebrook Town in the semi-final next Wednesday. I expect I'll get along to that.